Voxel Layers in a 3D Scene

Put a hill and a building on separate voxel layers so you can edit them independently. Voxels are optional content in a 3D Scene; an empty 3D Scene can use ordinary Objects and terrain without a voxel layer.

Prerequisites

Open a 3D Scene and prepare a Tileset with block definitions. Save a checkpoint before adding, hiding, or deleting layers. Use a small bounded Scene for the first test.

Add and Paint a Layer

1. Choose Map Mode. If there are no voxel layers, choose Add Voxel Layer.
2. Select the layer in Voxel Layers. The active layer receives your edits.
3. Choose a block from the palette and use Place to make a short wall at the working level.
4. Inspect it from another view, change the working level, and add a second row of blocks.
5. Use Erase for one cell, then Undo and confirm that the block returns to the same layer.
6. Save and reopen the Scene. Run it and check the wall’s appearance and collision.

Expected result: the authored blocks remain on the chosen layer and the game uses its visible block content. The working level selects voxel editing height; it doesn’t move the game Camera.

Map Mode has block tools such as Place, Erase, Paint, Pick, and Box. Voxel Mode has its own selection and stamp tools plus generated-world controls. Those tools become available when the Scene has a voxel layer.

Separate Two Sets of Content

Choose Add Voxel Layer again, select the new layer, and paint the building separately from the hill. The layer list shows the active selection and each layer’s block count. Select the layer you mean to edit before a large brush operation.

Later layers replace earlier layers at the same cell. The list displays the later layers toward its top. Hiding a later layer reveals any earlier block at that cell.

Use Hide Layer and Show Layer to compare the result. Voxel layer visibility affects the exported game: hidden layers are left out of its composite block map. This differs from editor-only visibility for ordinary Scene Objects.

For an export check, put a distinct block on each layer, hide one layer, export, and confirm that the hidden layer’s block is absent. Show it and export again before shipping the version that needs both.

Delete Carefully

Delete Voxel Layer removes the layer and all of its cells. Ctrl+Z restores that edit through Undo. Save a checkpoint before deleting a large authored layer.

The editor selects a neighboring layer after deleting the active one. Check the active selection before continuing to paint, so the next edit doesn’t land on the wrong layer.

Combine Generated and Authored Blocks

Voxel generators supply a repeatable generated baseline. Authored layers supply sparse blocks that the Scene composites for its exported content. Keep the generator’s seed and settings recorded while checking an overlay.

Test the same area in a fresh world and a restored save. Runtime edits and persistent world state can affect the loaded result. Changing generator settings doesn’t mean that every stored player edit has disappeared.

Voxel Mode exposes World Id and generation controls for persistent worlds. Choose a new World Id when you intentionally want a fresh saved world, then test saving and loading with the chosen identity. Previous saves retain their original settings and identity.

Mix Blocks with Ordinary Content

Object Mode places ordinary Objects, Models, Lights, and Effects. Those placements aren’t voxel cells and don’t acquire voxel layer visibility. Use Scene Explorer and the relevant Object settings to manage them.

Terrain Mode sculpts and paints the ground. Its texture layers are separate from voxel block layers. A hill made from the heightmap remains terrain even when you hide a voxel building beside it.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Check
Block tools are unavailable	Add a voxel layer and choose Map or Voxel Mode.
An edit changes the wrong content	Check the active voxel layer and working level.
A block seems to vanish	Inspect overlapping cells in later layers and their visibility.
A hidden layer is absent from the game	Visibility excludes it from export; show it and export again when needed.
Deleting a layer removes a large region	That layer owns its cells; Undo or restore the checkpoint.
A generated area differs after loading	Compare World Id, seed, generator settings, authored overlays, and saved player edits.